[attempted murder - capital punishment, abolition of - bushrangers]

R. v. Hall

Supreme Court of New South Wales

Dowling C.J., 3 July 1840[1]

Source: Sydney Herald, 7 August 1840

William Hall was indicted for having on the 14th of November last, fired at Mr. Collyer, of Collyersleigh, with intent to murder him.  It appeared that the prisoner had gone in company with two other bushrangers to Mr. Collyer’s residence, and after bailing up five assigned servants, plundered the house, the assigned servants offering no resistance although they had the means of doing so.  The Attorney General stated to each of them when examined, that he would take care that they should not receive tickets of leave until by their conduct they had proved that that they were not concerned with Hall and his party in the robbery.  The Jury found the prisoner guilty, when His Honor in passing sentence stated, that he was sorry that the late change in the criminal law prevented his making an example of the prisoner, but, as far as the law allowed him to go in punishing the prisoner he would, which was to send him to a penal settlement for life, with a recommendation that he should never receive any mitigation of the sentence.

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